From APG's e-zine:
Conclusion Reached in Rollerblader Gary Holdren’s Death
APG has received the following Press Release from the Police
Department, City of Newport Beach, California.
Victim: Gary Holdren
Age: 54 years
Resident of Newport Beach
“On March 24, 2002 at approximately 1:15 p.m. the victim was riding rollerblades on Back Bay Road and fell to the ground striking his head on the pavement. Having sustained severe head trauma Mr. Holdren was treated by paramedics and transported to the hospital.
“There was initial speculation that victim Holdren was struck by paint balls as he had a swollen right eye and because he fell in an area where recent paint balls had been broken on the ground. Since only trace evidence of paint was found on Mr. Holdren, the investigation concluded the paint was transferred to his clothing as a result of his fall in
the area where paint balls had previously broken on the ground. The swelling of Mr. Holdren’s eye was caused as a result of a massive skull fracture that extended from the rear of his skull across the top and terminated in the upper right and left eye orbit, and was not consistent with a paint ball strike according to the treating physician and the Coroner.
“During the subsequent investigation, witnesses told investigators that they had walked in the area where Mr. Holdren fell prior to the accident. These witnesses were escorted back to the location by detectives and told detectives they observed the paint ball markings on the pavement and adjacent sign well before Mr. Holdren’s fall. Since the accident Detectives followed up on all leads they developed and those provided to them.
“The Coroner has reached a final conclusion in the cause and
classification of the death of Mr. Holdren. The cause of death is severe traumatic brain injury due to blunt head trauma. The Coroner’s classification as to the death is “accident”.
“Detectives have conducted a very thorough investigation in connection with this accidental death including tests with paintball equipment which provided no information inconsistent with the Coroner’s findings.
“As with all such cases, if new and relevant information is forthcoming which may have a bearing on the facts already developed, the Department will re-open the investigation.”
So paintballers were not to blame, although they shouldn't have been firing out in public.
The thing is though, this will never get the hysterical press that the original reports got.
Conclusion Reached in Rollerblader Gary Holdren’s Death
APG has received the following Press Release from the Police
Department, City of Newport Beach, California.
Victim: Gary Holdren
Age: 54 years
Resident of Newport Beach
“On March 24, 2002 at approximately 1:15 p.m. the victim was riding rollerblades on Back Bay Road and fell to the ground striking his head on the pavement. Having sustained severe head trauma Mr. Holdren was treated by paramedics and transported to the hospital.
“There was initial speculation that victim Holdren was struck by paint balls as he had a swollen right eye and because he fell in an area where recent paint balls had been broken on the ground. Since only trace evidence of paint was found on Mr. Holdren, the investigation concluded the paint was transferred to his clothing as a result of his fall in
the area where paint balls had previously broken on the ground. The swelling of Mr. Holdren’s eye was caused as a result of a massive skull fracture that extended from the rear of his skull across the top and terminated in the upper right and left eye orbit, and was not consistent with a paint ball strike according to the treating physician and the Coroner.
“During the subsequent investigation, witnesses told investigators that they had walked in the area where Mr. Holdren fell prior to the accident. These witnesses were escorted back to the location by detectives and told detectives they observed the paint ball markings on the pavement and adjacent sign well before Mr. Holdren’s fall. Since the accident Detectives followed up on all leads they developed and those provided to them.
“The Coroner has reached a final conclusion in the cause and
classification of the death of Mr. Holdren. The cause of death is severe traumatic brain injury due to blunt head trauma. The Coroner’s classification as to the death is “accident”.
“Detectives have conducted a very thorough investigation in connection with this accidental death including tests with paintball equipment which provided no information inconsistent with the Coroner’s findings.
“As with all such cases, if new and relevant information is forthcoming which may have a bearing on the facts already developed, the Department will re-open the investigation.”
So paintballers were not to blame, although they shouldn't have been firing out in public.
The thing is though, this will never get the hysterical press that the original reports got.
